Two posts: 1) Sussex County BOS and 2) Waverly Town Council

1st a WOW moment. This blog just recently went over 10,000 views, yes 10,000 ... THANKS!

There is a march on Wall Street movement going on nationally and I can assure you we have a march on Sussex County going on also that is alive and well. More and more AND MORE citizens are getting involved in how this county is being managed or miss-managed. Folks are attending public meetings in numbers never before seen and not just the monthly board of supervisors meeting. Many citizens are attending (some in disbelief) to sit and listen, becoming more knowledgeable and to offer support for those speaking up on all of our behalf. Others are putting themselves up at the podium, for 2 minutes at a time, standing in front of the Board letting them (as a group or individually) know they are concerned and have an issue with them or their conduct, and on a rare time or two to congratulate for a job well done. How appropriate it is that while an individual is facing the Board speaking the rest of us are behind them. While not everyone will agree with everything someone is saying as citizens of the county we have their back, whether it is a cook at the county jail asking for air conditioning or someone looking for relief from an illegal damning up of a drainage ditch that is causing problems on their property.

Before getting to the video clips from the meeting the following is a letter to the editor of the Sussex Surry Dispatch that hopefully will be printed this week. I am posting it here because in the letter I ask folks to “play a matching game.” I will give you the correct answers to that game.

A Path Well Taken

By Fred X Turck, Blackwater District

First a BIG pat on the back for all those citizens that attended one or more of the Community Meetings held across the county last month. AND for all those who are attending the regular BOS meetings each month. It is we the people who will make a difference.

I had great hopes that last night’s board of supervisors meeting was going to turn the corner on an inability to work towards the betterment of the county and ALL its citizens. It didn’t take long for reality to sink in, oh yes we did turn a corner however the turn taken took us down an all too familiar path.

How about playing along with me a matching game? We might as well play games like some on our board members are doing, at least well be accomplishing something. So here is the game. See if you can match the individual sitting at the table with the following quotes. All board members, the County Administrator and Attorney are included as possible options.

• 1.    It’s not rocket science.
• 2.    You’re attacking the children, the churches, head start and the seniors.
• 3.    The town meeting I had.
• 4.    It doesn't make a difference to me.
• 5.    Politics got started in the church.
• 6.    We're at a dreadlock. (this is NOT a typo)
• 7.    I need time to digest it.
• 8.    It’s a nightmare.
• 9.    Acknowledge the extraordinary work our employees provide.

Now to a more serious subject! The Improvement Association is becoming a tremendous distraction to the board of supervisors. Last night we were painfully (once again) exposed to a lengthy, very, very lengthy bantering back and forth about issues that had no place at OUR Board of Supervisors meeting. It’s hard if not impossible to keep this from occurring over and over since two of our supervisors are the main leadership of the association. This is an illness that must be cured and like many infectious diseases the only cure is to cut it out. If Tyler and or Caple really cared about the health of the county one of them (if not both) would remove themselves either from the Board of Supervisors or the Improvement Association. Guess which one they would pick if they were man enough to even make that decision. I can’t blame them either,  I would not give up a very lucrative position on the Association for a public service job that at times is a thankless job. We cannot afford to allow this disease to keep eating away at our health. By no means do I want it to be construed that I am not supportive of the work the Association does and the services it provides, what I am against is the distraction it is creating. Both organizations would be better off if the illness is cured.

If you need a reminder who your choices are below is a group photo of the Board of Supervisors and remember you also have Thomas Harris who sits to the right of Dopey and to his right Attorney Packer.

ANSWERS to the matching game …

• 1.    It’s not rocket science. (Fly to Tyler)
• 2.    You’re attacking the children, the churches, head start and the seniors. (Stringfield to Fly)
• 3.    The town meeting I had. (Tyler to all)
• 4.    It doesn’t make a difference to me. (Tyler to all)
• 5.    Politics got started in the church. (Stringfield to all)
• 6.    Were at a dreadlock. (this is NOT a typo) (Tyler)
• 7.    I need time to digest it. (Caple)
• 8.    It’s a nightmare. (Warren)
• 9.    Acknowledge the extraordinary work our employees provide. (Harris during his report)

I put the citizen comments first as they should be, for it is the citizens who are the most important aspect of the county and the sooner the board (all the board) realizes this then maybe they can put many of their petty differences behind them and move on.

CITIZEN COMMENTS

For all the good the Improvement Association does this is but a single look into some serious issues and concerns we have with this BOS and IA “connection”.

Citizen speaks out about unfair treatment from the Association: http://youtu.be/zFKE9Q3kmgk

Citizens are showing up wanting to take part of the management of our county and would like to hear what the Board is saying and not just the mumbling. This seems to be a request that has been around for many years, its about time to do something don’t you agree?

A promise not kept what did you say? we can’t hear you: http://youtu.be/3-A_sCvZHAQ

PLEASE support the NO TOLLS

There may be time to prevent the I-95 Toll but it looks like the 460 bypass is coming through. Where was/IS the support of stopping this. Sad to say it was too little too late.

460 bypass is coming: http://youtu.be/-HStavboUwk

These next 3 clips are from citizens who regularly attend and regularly voice their concerns. They are saying/asking many of the things the rest of us would want to say if we had the nerve to talk in front of the board. We do have their back and support what they are saying. Thanks for speaking up!

Another citizen speaks up: http://youtu.be/g4dk038BlIs

Are you listening to us: http://youtu.be/o0dQjRSRRA4

A must view-hear clip: http://youtu.be/F0im8M0g4O0

The Superintendent of Schools supports this, the citizens are asking for this,  let’s hope the Board of Supervisors will also when the time comes.

4 year old program study: http://youtu.be/1YmSYQfTXaI

This infection into the day to day running of the county must be stopped, if not this may just be the straw that breaks to preverbal camel’s back. It is not known if this is a symptom or the disease itself.

Association 1: http://youtu.be/SKi6OYzbc-4

Association 2 Caple: http://youtu.be/Sly1PwqpMrs

A tie breaker….oh how happy we will be if we have a seventh to call our own to go along with the 6 shown in a previous picture..

Attorney research options: http://youtu.be/0VB5qC183d4

There was a lot of discussion when Tyler requested a “training calendar” that would identify training requests from board members, well besides a public speaking session I know an individual or two who could benefit from attending a session on leadership, being a supervisor/boss and how to set a work profile and evaluation process. Why are we trying to reinvent the wheel? Why are we not abiding by contracts we entered into fairly and legally? What is the underlining issue or attempt with this push for 3 board members to have a meeting among just those 3 to then report back to all 6 to then get with the County Administrator to set the evaluation goals and procedures? We were told that in the contract the board (all 6) and the County Administrator would work together to establish these. In typical fashion with some board members they want to add several more levels of bureaucracy into the mix. WHY?

County Administrator eval 1: http://youtu.be/L6A4qennCLs

County Administrator eval 2: http://youtu.be/44WDvEoCYMU

County Administrator eval: http://youtu.be/gmbF2KP0sCk

County Administrator eval: http://youtu.be/duh4Cb3BfQc

County Administrator eval final comments by ca: http://youtu.be/E2X6NHPQIy0

2 of the positive moments. Is it just me or does it seems that most of those shining moments we have had at many meetings are because of the work of our County Administrator?? THANKS Mr. Harris.

County Administrator report motivated work force: http://youtu.be/8cDd4bUqYoY

County Administrator report I95: http://youtu.be/qepMQ-xABRQ

This was dead issue (like many folks would hope the coyotes themselves would be) until it became important to Tyler. Maybe with the next attempt to bring this up it will be declared a dilatory motion.

Coyote: http://youtu.be/6gIhsMM86rs

Coyote 2: http://youtu.be/YDec8mvmAxA

Coyote 3 Tyler finds something funny: http://youtu.be/d8F_qJd-RII

Coyote motion dies: http://youtu.be/DdzmTM5SuZE

What seemed to be an attempt to just explore a possibility for additional recreational opportunities for Sussex Counties youth was confronted with opposition? Maybe it was who was asking?

Fly “Let me explore rec program” w/unknowledgeable Stringfield making comments: http://youtu.be/uaZtXY1u6GY

TOWN OF WAVERLY MEETING

Short and …….

Two police officers tender their resignation and a police chief will be offered the job. This does NOT mean the person will accept but at least they will be offered the job. Previous offers went unaccepted when the applicant considered the job in more depth; let’s hope this one does not do the same.

Town of Waverly going into closed session: http://youtu.be/AiXSQm-h8wQ

Town of Waverly out of closed session: http://youtu.be/YKpWCynStho

PLEASE keep this march on Sussex County alive, keep coming to the meetings and bring a friend! You can talk with your representative outside of these meetings but you might be surprised if not upset with what you get told when it's just the two of you talking to what they say or DON'T say during the public meetings. PAL !?!?

In closing I want to take this time to thank the Sussex Surry Dispatch for helping keep folks knowledgeable and informed. Thanks Adrienne and Michael and the rest of the SSD.